He is reborn. Julian Alaphilippethe two-time world champion who later
after a serious fall at the 2002 Liège-Bastogne-Liège he never returned to his level, yesterday at the Giro, at the finish line in Fano, he signed an important victory, in his own way.
Julian is back in the top group. He wanted Italy, the “walls” of the Marche, the postcard landscapes, the sea, the enchanting villages, the little streets up and down. He needed all the pride and talent dusted off for one day. Poor Julian, fiercely criticized by his team manager for the results that weren’t arriving; Patrick Lefevere had accused him, together with his wife, the charming Marion Rousse, of having indulged in too many parties, alcohol, social life. All accusations disdainfully returned to the sender by his wife, one of the personalities of French cycling, former cyclist, TV face and race director of the Tour de France Femmes.
LouLou – this is his nickname – returned to victory yesterday, almost a year later, from that June 5th a year ago, at the Tour of Dauphiné. He did it by showing off his class, going on the attack, like on the best days.
Masters, hero of the day
Active from the first bump of the day, the two-time world champion takes off together with Mirco Masters several kilometers from the finish line and then detached him on the last very hard wall after a nice two-man ride.
The stage is enlivened from the beginning by a flight of brave people. Among them the profiles of Affini, Trentin, Scaroni, Ganna, Quintana and, again, the stainless steel stand out Pozzovivo. After an alternation of situations Alaphilippe and Maestri, a talented Marcantonio who so far has not yet managed to get the right results since becoming a professional, leave the company. The couple is perfect, the day’s agreement is profitable. The Frenchman takes advantage of his breakaway companion’s size and brings his immense talent to the table. On the hardest wall, in the final kilometres, he takes flight and manages not to be caught by the small group of opponents following him. Maestri’s feat ends 11 and a half kilometers from the finish line, after 145 of escape and with a 47 second advantage over his pursuers. Planted on a grim wall in the Marche region, then swallowed up by the group of pursuers, he still found the strength to finish ninth, a minute and a half behind the winner of the day.
Ranking of the day
ALAPHILIPPE Julian Soudal Quick-Step 04:07:44
2 NARVAEZ Jhonnatan INEOS Grenadiers + 31
3 HERMANS Quinten Alpecin-Deceuninck + 32
4 VALGREN Michael EF Education-EasyPost + 43
5 SCARONI Cristian Astana Qazaqstan Team + 43
6 TRENTIN Matteo Tudor Pro Cycling Team + 01:30
7 CLARKE Simon Israel-Premier Tech + 01:30
8 LEEMREIZE Gijs Team dsm-firmenich PostNL + 01:30
9 MASTERS Mirco Team Polti Kometa + 01:30
10 THOMAS Benjamin Cofidis + 01:30
General ranking
1 POGACAR Tadej UAE Team Emirates 45:22:35
2 MARTINEZ Daniel BORA-hansgrohe + 02:40
3 THOMAS Geraint INEOS Grenadiers + 02:56
4 O’CONNOR Ben Decathlon AG2R The World Team + 03:39
5 TIBERI Antonio Bahrain Victorious + 04:27
6 BARDET Romain Team dsm-firmenich PostNL + 04:57
7 LUCKY Lorenzo Astana Qazaqstan Team + 05:19
8 ZANA Filippo Team Jayco-AlUla + 05:23
9 RUBIO Einer Movistar Team + 05:28
10 ARENSMAN Thymen INEOS Grenadiers + 05:52
The report cards
Alaphilippe: 10 cum laude. An inspired Loulou, the one from the best times, wins and convinces. Italy was needed to bring it back to life.
Mirco Maestri: 9. High marks for the rider who contributed to Alaphilippe’s triumph. After landing on the last wall he still found the strength to reach the finish line with dignity.
Filippo Pozzovivo 9-: he doesn’t give up, he pulls in the group of pursuers, he shows up in front when there’s a climb. Forever Pozzovivo.
Pogacar 8: he has finally understood that he must put himself in the belly of the group, leave the initiative to the opposing teams and enjoy the view. If he wants to win the Tour too he must do this.
Jonathan Narvaez: Turin’s first pink jersey is running a leading lap.
The landscape of the Marche: the route of the twelfth stage is a marvel.
Angelo De Lorenzi
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